Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Reaches New 52-Week High on Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday after Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on the stock from $25.00 to $30.00. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a hold rating on the stock. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions traded as high as $28.76 and last traded at $28.76, with a volume of 83675 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $26.84.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. B. Riley lowered Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $24.00 to $26.00 in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $25.00 target price on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a report on Friday, September 13th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $22.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, September 23rd. Finally, JMP Securities boosted their price objective on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $26.40.

Insider Activity at Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

In other Kratos Defense & Security Solutions news, SVP Benjamin M. Goodwin sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.71, for a total value of $138,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 37,327 shares in the company, valued at $1,034,331.17. This represents a 11.81 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Thomas E. Iv Mills sold 6,603 shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.88, for a total value of $164,282.64. Following the sale, the insider now owns 23,848 shares in the company, valued at $593,338.24. The trade was a 21.68 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 66,765 shares of company stock valued at $1,663,507. 2.27% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC grew its stake in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 15.0% during the 3rd quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC now owns 665,285 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $15,501,000 after acquiring an additional 86,567 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 12.2% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,798,859 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $70,951,000 after acquiring an additional 304,088 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 27.9% during the 3rd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 21,258 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $495,000 after acquiring an additional 4,638 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,556,544 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $82,883,000 after buying an additional 29,278 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 239.5% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 273,100 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $6,363,000 after purchasing an additional 192,667 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.92% of the company’s stock.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 3.22, a quick ratio of 2.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The company has a market cap of $4.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 272.70 and a beta of 1.07. The company’s fifty day moving average is $25.58 and its 200 day moving average is $22.96.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Company Profile

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc operates as a technology company that addresses the defense, national security, and commercial markets. It operates through two segments, Kratos Government Solutions and Unmanned Systems. The company offers ground systems for satellites and space vehicles, including software for command and control, telemetry, and tracking and control; jet-powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles, and rocket systems; propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, spacecraft, and launch systems; command, control, communication, computing, combat, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance; and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, and satellite; counter unmanned aircraft systems, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual and augmented reality training systems for the warfighter.